Modern communication networks comprise nodes, such as routers, switches, bridges, and other devices, that transport data through the networks. Over the years, the networks have become increasingly complex, leading to interwoven webs of network nodes. As a result, node vendors have struggled to customize, optimize, and improve the performance of the nodes. Software-defined networking (SDN) is an emerging network technology that addresses such customization, optimization, and improvement. SDN simplifies networks by decoupling a data-forwarding (i.e., data plane) functionality from a routing, resource, and other management (i.e., control plane) functionality. As a result, while traditional network nodes may provide both the data plane functionality and the control plane functionality, an SDN node may provide the data plane functionality and an SDN controller may provide the control plane functionality. Open application programming interface (API) services, such as OpenFlow, may standardize the interactions between the data plane and the control plane and may allow for the implementation of nodes and controllers that are not specific to any vendor. As a result, SDN in conjunction with an open API service like OpenFlow may provide benefits such as improved customization, optimization, and performance.